Pelican, nobody is exploiting the lower paid at all, they are simply telling anyone who cares to listen, that the goal posts have shifted an the gravy train has run out.

Whether you agree or not is irrelevant, the fact is that these conditions have been born from the excessive wages on offer from the mining industry.

Now back in 06 when the country was booming, one could literally name their price.

Those days are gone and, if they don't accept that then they may well have no job to go to.

Now I can not emphasize enough that I am not opposed to people having a decent income, you can't just keep expecting employers to provide it, as it's governments roll, to offer income assistance,not ours, as we are faced with the very same issues, often on a much larger scale.

Keep pushing by all means, but at your own risk.

Simply Rehctub, the premise that competing with labour cost in third world sweatshops, and competing for the wages and conditions in third world countries is inevitable and desirable, is only pertinent if you think the course of business should not be interrupted by morality or justice. Unfortunately this is your position.

Business owners, just like the rest of us are part of the community, and a privileged sector of our community at that, mostly. I don't agree that no responsibility exists for the business sector in a social and community sense to maintain the living standards of those they employ.
In fact any contribution an employee might make intellectually for an employer would be deterred by such a view from an employer.

And as for the Rudd revival AB, I don't think it currently exists as an issue. It's a red herring.

T2, your logic is fine, so long as we are doing business in house, but, the reality is, we are not.

Thanks to globalization, we need to compete here to stay there and this is what the Qantas dispute is all about.

Now on the other hand, if you can convince the Australian public to fly only on an Australian ownered and operated airline, shop only at Australian owned and staffed businesses and, buy exclusively Australian owned and manufactured items, from shops, not online, then your logic will work.

We have made this rod for our own backs and we must now pay for the consequences of our actions.

The likes of Dick Smith have been warning us for years, yet, although we may listen, we ignore his and others advice and go for the best deal we can find, knowing full well it is hurting Australian jobs.

Until now, the answer has been to simply increase wages, the ,old shel be right attitude.well, it's not alright any more.

You wanted it, you've got it.

Enjoy!

Julia wants equal pay for women and men, that aught to cause a contraversal panic.

Not at all 579.

The case she is refering to is not a gender specific role and, as such, equal pay should be paid for equal work.

If a person, either male or female or even one who is not shaw which side of the fence they are on for that matter is capable of the same result, in the same time, then they deserve the Same wage in my view.

Well said T2.

rehctub
You are not reading my comments. I am clearly saying government policy is the main factor in this debate. Your language lets you down and displays a real contempt for the poor. A 'gravy train', really compared to whom? The gravy is literally dripping from the top down.

The goal posts have changed but why are you not pressuring governments to change policies that have us competing with Third World conditions and engaging in treaties that do not provide benefits other than to a privileged minority.

Otherwise why not just reduce the minimum wage to $1 per hour arguing that there is plenty of space in the bush for shanty towns to house the poor when the bank takes the house after failure to make mortgage or rent payments. That is the only scenario that will allow us to comepte with the Third World.

Don't blame the lowest paid for simply wanting to be able to keep up with the cost of living and to spend time with their families.

Fact is, if we are going to compete with the Third World the burden should be spread and all of us may have to reduce our living standards.